New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-05
IN UNFIT NAM

The announcement that Ex-Governor Patti
son. of Pennsylvania, is to succeed in the
Interior Department the PRESENT Secretary and
that Mr.. Lamar is to be translated to the
Supreme Court, has an unpleasant significance.
1t would be ridiculous to speak OF MI. PAUL
son as refomer, as man OF marked
executive ability, as a sincere opp ncnt OF cor
porate influence in government, or as any,
thing but spoils politician. Yet his
selection il not the worst Of this bad business
Secretary Lamar is a man who cannot Win
any propriety be selected as one of the Justices
of the Supreme Court.
Mr. Lamar's political reputation is largely
based upon certain adroit orations, in which
his willingness to obtcrate unpleasant ami
mosities of the past was displayed. That
disposition, not frequently manifested at the
time by Southern men OF prominence, waS
welcomed by the people of the North, who
imagined that it was deep and sincere enough
to promise genuine restoration OF ioya w.
They forgot that Mr. Lamar had peculiar
reasons for wishing forge'fulness OF the past
They came to learn that his idea of loyalty
did not prevent him from Trticir ating in AMI
prfiting by the lawless overthrow OF Site
government His subsequent condct has
taught the country to remember that he was
one of the original instigators OF rebellion
not merely one of those who bowed to the
wrongful decision of their States, but one who
plotted to mislead the people of Mi sissippi,
and Of other States as well, into a course oil
treason. Even beyond the borders OF his
State he labored to spread the disloyal in
f.. o,,I earr, COL tn tr1ifOrS led
to the mob violence by which at least one
loyal editor of Tennessee was ruined and driven
from the State No man has prcfi'ed more
by disloyalty, or by the Inv eSs overthrow OF
a State government, or by the robbery oil
colored citizens of their rights, than Mr. Lam r.
Of Mississippi It would be an insult to every
loyal citizen of the United States to place
such a man on the Supreme bench.
But it would be wrong TO all honest
creditors also, for Mr.. Lamar represents the
repudiating party of a repudiatin State II
there may be doubts as 10 the legal right OF
Mississippi at the outset to reject AZ invalid
the sale of bonds to the Union Bank in 1888,
the State made itself fully liable by its legis-
lative resolution in 1889. and by the silence
which gives as ent until after the Union Bank
had failed. Nor was there shadow OF right
in the repudiation of the Planters Bank bonds.
Yet in 1875, when Mr.. Lamars party had
captured the State government by fraud and
assassination, it cen titution"lly prohi tied
Iayment of these debts, and Mr.. Lamar was
at that time the recognized leader and most
influential man of the party. Offers oil com
promise by creditors have been repeatedly re-
ected by that party, when Mr. Lamar's In
fuence would have brought about an honest
decision. To place in the Supreme Court
man personally responsible for this continuing
reputation would be indecent.
Nor is that all. Mr. Lamar was called upon.
as Secretary Of the Interior to hear arguments
for and against his political friends OF the
telephone ring, and he committed himself to
their cause by advising the suit by the United
States to break patents issued by the United
States. HIS close association with the leading
Democrats who were interested in the ele
phone job had previously been so notorious
that no different decision was expected TO
put this man into the Supreme &, uTt, where
he may be called upon to decide as to the
validity of telephone patents, and also to pass
upon acts If reputation by Virginia and other
States, would be scandal as di> g aceful as
any that have stained our history. Mr.. Car
land is his friend, and was counsel for Viz
ginia rcpudiators aud for telephone pbbers.
But for that very reason Mr.. Lamar is an unit
man TO make Justice of the Supreme Court